


Next Heartbeat

by SuzunoKoi



Category: Romance MD: Always on Call | スタットコール救命恋愛24時 (Video Game), 五等分の花嫁 | Gotoubun no Hanayome | The Quintessential Quintuplets (Manga)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-14
Updated: 2021-01-28
Packaged: 2021-03-18 16:33:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,296
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28746258
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SuzunoKoi/pseuds/SuzunoKoi
Summary: This story takes place after the ending of the manga, therefore it's after we know who Fuutaro ends up with.Toshiki Kasumi from Romance MD: Always on Call gets married to one of the Nakano quintuplets and this is his love story with one of them.
Kudos: 2





	1. Second Love Fulfilled

Second Love Fulfilled

Another on of the Nakano quintuplets had found a new love in their life and was able to move on from their first love. The second one to get a happy wedding was none other than…

~

Wedding bells should have played, but the wedding of a certain Chief from the EICU of Seimei University Hospital was taking place that night. The notion of having a wedding at night was fitting for his title as the “Dark Emperor” and his stoic demeaner was hard to defrost. Yet, this had been a fast courtship. Marrying at the age of 39 to someone who was in their early twenties—22 at most.

“And so, we are all gathered here for the…” Dean Matsunaga paused and tears formed in his eyes. Shortly after, they streamed down his cheeks. “…for the…”

Munechika Takado frowned. “Come on, Matsunaga! Get on with your part!”

Tetsuya Hosho smiled cheerfully. “Now, now, we’re at a wedding, Dr. Takado. Our esteemed Dean can’t help but cry at the thought of Kasumi getting married.”

“With Matsunaga handling the ceremony,” Dr. Takado continued, “We’ll be waiting for half an hour at least.”

Dean Matsunaga suddenly laughed. “I heard that, my dear Takado!” His beaming face wasn’t flooded with a shower of tears this time and he cleared his throat. “Ahem, pardon the abrupt dramatic display there, everyone. We are all gathered for the wedding of our Elite ICU’s Chief, Toshiki Kasumi, and one of the Nakano quintuplets. You may be wondering who it is since they’re all identical, but there is no doubt that our Chief knows his bride well enough that he couldn’t mistake her for anyone else.”

There were some people who actually laughed at hearing those last few words.

Sentaro Kyogoku narrowed his eyes and whispered to his co-workers from the EICU to not disturb Dean Matsunaga’s precedence over the wedding. “Seriously? He couldn’t be more obvious in concealing the bride’s name before the vows.”

Dr. Takado shrugged. “Matsunaga’s not doing us favors with his humor.”

Dr. Hosho said, “I think it’s not bad since he’s pointing out the fact a bunch of the hospital staff and interns can’t tell the difference with the Nakano ladies’ faces looking the same.”

Dr. Kyogoku smirked. “At least all the members of the EICU can tell who’s who.” He glanced at a certain female doctor. “Even Takado’s protégé.”

Recently, there had been a newcomer that Dean Matsunaga scouted out and had placed in the EICU. However, Chief Kasumi had been the one to request for the young lady to get her contract signed and study under a doctor whom she felt would best suit her interests for. She objected to signing the contract, but nonetheless, she had to concede and pick her mentor. Of course, this very mentor happened to be Dr. Takado, much to his chagrin.

Still, the new doctor in the EICU reminded Chief Kasumi’s bride of one of her sisters due their similar interests, overzealous personality, but most of all, their loud voice which would carry far and wide. Sade protégé was intently staring and her hands were tightly clasped together. She had an emotionally toughed facial expression as Dean Matsunaga announced the ring exchange.

“If you two will do the honors,” he said. A soft smile was on his face. He watched as Chief Kasumi took a thin silver band and gently slipped the wedding ring onto his bride’s ring finger. Then, the bride took the ring meant for her groom and did the same.

“Wow,” Dr. Kyogoku breathed. “Kasumi was really delicate with the ring.”

“That just shows how much he wants to cherish the bride, after all,” Dr. Hosho smiled.

Dr. Takado added, “Guess so.”

Meanwhile, Dean Matsunaga continued. He addressed Chief Kasumi first. “Toshiki Kasumi, do you take…”

Everyone, especially Chief Kasumi and his bride, were waiting intently as they heard Seimei University’s Dean speak. Yet surely, they were all thinking back on the fact Chief Kasumi had fallen in love and he was thinking back on how his love story began.


	2. How It Began

How It Began

Maruo Nakano was the stepfather of the quintuplets and he was a physician at his own hospital. He had connections to the heads of schools, politicians, along with other hospitals in Japan. One of his stepdaughters had gotten married quite recently to the son of an acquaintance from high school. Though oddly enough, the rest of quintuplets had tagged along for the married couple’s honeymoon trip. However, the same thing had happened for the high school celebration trip as well.

The rule that formed the quintuplets’ bond was to stick together, always. By that, it was simply a metaphor to stay through when things needed them to. Helping each other and whatnot is what any family would do.

While Maruo’s daughters and son-in-law were still on their trip, he had requested an appointment with Dean Matsunaga and Chief Kasumi at Seimei University Hospital in the morning.

“Maruo,” Dean Matsunaga greeted, “it’s been some time since your last visit! How was the wedding?”

Maruo indifferently replied as he took a seat. “It was wonderful, thank you. Everyone was happy and the honeymoon is still going on.”

Chief Kasumi said, “I’m sorry we couldn’t attend the wedding with all the emergency surgeries going on at Seimei.”

“It’s all right,” Maruo said. “I understand it’s a busy time for your staff.”

Dean Matsunaga asked, “By the way, are the rest of the girls on the trip? I mean honeymoons are for the newlyweds, but…”

Maruo nodded. “It’s just like the graduation trip they had five years ago.”

“I see,” Chief Kasumi noted. “All five quintuplets are together.”

“Hahaha!” Dean Matsunaga laughed. “I find their bond as quintuplets cute. Still, university studies and working different jobs are part of youth; they’re absolutely taxing to humans.”

Ignoring the dean’s casual comments, Chief Kasumi asked, “Anyhow, what brings you here so soon, Dr. Nakano?”

“It’s been nearly a year since you’ve accepted a female resident to the EICU, if I recall,” Maruo noted.

“Indeed it has,” Dean Matsunaga said. “She’s quite a promising young doctor and she learns well.”

“Dr. Takado has mentored her,” Chief Kasumi responded. “Is there a patient from your hospital who needs to be admitted to Seimei?”

Maruo put his hand up. “Actually no. Chief Kasumi, I recall the EICU is full of unique and popular individuals. Why don’t you all take some time off every once in a while? I’ll pay for your food expenses.”

Chief Kasumi and Dean Matsunaga’s eyes widened.

“That’s all…?” Chief Kasumi inquired.

“That’s all. You may tell whoever’s serving your food and drink bills that I’ll be paying.”

Maruo stood up and walked out the door.

A silence was in the dean’s office but it took a few seconds for Dean Matsunaga to smile brightly.

“Well!” he exclaimed. “Let’s go tell the rest of your team to eat out tonight, Kasumi!”

Chief Kasumi averted his gaze and with his perpetual frown on his face, he said. “…I don’t think we should celebrate so soon.”

Dean Matsunaga was baffled. “Huh? Why not?”

“Everyone in the EICU is doing their fair share of operations for the week.”

Dean Matsunaga frowned. “I thought we agreed to cut the workload for you all.”

“I don’t see why it’s a bad idea to keep them working. It’s important to save people while we still can.”

Dean Matsunaga frowned. “Hey, now don’t be a sourpuss. But if there’s nothing we can do about the surgeries that are scheduled, I guess we can wait for another time.”

~

A few days had passed by since the Nakano quintuplets had gone on the honeymoon trip for Fuutaro and Yotsuba (the fourth sister of the quintuplets). Ichika, the oldest one, had returned to her work as an actress, but she went overseas yet again for her acting career. Nino (the second oldest) and Miku (the middle daughter) ran a café together. Meanwhile, Itsuki (the youngest) was a teacher and she drove to school daily.

It was sometime in the evening when Nino and Miku had gotten a call for a reservation from Eiichi Matsunaga. He and the members of the EICU would eat over at the Nakano Café instead of the Pen, a bar which they frequently gathered together. It was rare to have a switch to where the doctors would dine at, but a change of pace was nice occasionally.

Soon, the door opened and six people entered the café.

“Howdy there, girls!” Matsunaga exclaimed. “How’ve you been?”

Miku Nakano bowed lightly. “We’re doing well. Anyway, Dean Matsunaga and everyone from the EICU, welcome. Please take a seat wherever you would all like to sit at.“

“Adorable as ever, Miku!” Dean Matsunaga complimented, taking a seat at the table in the middle with his colleagues. “And what about you, Nino?”

Nino Nakano looked at the group and said, “Honestly, you don’t change, Matsunaga. Miku and I just came back from a trip.”

“Kasumi and I’ve heard from Maruo,” Matsunaga said. “You girls really like to go on trips together.”

Toshiki Kasumi, chief of the EICU, added, “But more importantly, congratulations to Yotsuba for getting married.” Similar to Maruo Nakano, he was a stoic, yet young-looking guy.

Sentaro Kyogoku said, “Right, we weren’t able to attend the wedding with work going on. How was the wedding?”

Recalling how all five quintuplets had their final “quintuplet game” as a test for Fuutaro, the groom and the schoolmate who had been hired as their tutor five years ago, was a really sweet memory for Nino and Miku, as well for their sisters. The girls had put Fuutaro in a situation to guess which of them was the correct bride, but seeing how well their bond was with him, he nailed the bride-guessing game and could tell the quintuplets apart from one another.

Nino quickly responded, “I-I’ll get started on the food!” She then sped walked to the kitchen.

Miku glanced at Nino as the latter had disappeared before answering Sentaro’s question. “Ah.” She smiled. “The wedding was spectacular. Yotsuba was happy to make her dream as a bride come true.”

“Is Nino okay, though?” Sentaro asked.

Miku said, “She will be. It’s just a jog down memory lane for us, but let’s move on.” She took out a notepad and pen. “What drinks would you all like to order?”

“A vanilla soybean milk,” Toshiki said.

Sentaro smiled casually. “I’ll have the same as Kasumi.”

Kaede Ekuni, who was quite listless and introverted, said, “Just water for me.”

“Oolong tea,” Munechika Takado, a guy whose face seemed menacing compared to everyone else, said.

“Matcha soda!” Yuuko Benihime exclaimed while she raised her right hand up. She was the female doctor in the EICU and was also Munechika’s protégé. She was more of the eccentric and energetic type of person, but Dean Matsunaga hired her for her skills and (slightly) for the EICU’s sake. Yuuko was quite amusing, and she was similar to Yotsuba in several ways.

“You really love what Miku likes, Yuuko” said Tetsuya Hosho. “I’ll have a coconut juice.”

Matsunaga said, “I’ll have… whatever you recommend for me, Miku.”

Miku walked to the kitchen to prepare the group’s beverages.

Yuuko spoke up as the group watched Miku disappear from their sight. “Is Nino really going to be okay?”

Munechika had a blank expression on his face. “Says the one who ordered matcha soda.”

“It’s actually a good beverage despite the name,” Yuuko gleefully said. “Dr. Takado, if you’d stop ordering from your kids menu food from the Pen, it would be a nice change of pace.”

Munechika folded his arms. “We didn’t get to order any food yet.”

Kaede bluntly said, “Takado’s face is the most intimidating thing that keeps us from getting Nino and Miku to take food orders for us.”

Tetsuya laughed. “Ahaha, I see.” Then he had a more concerned expression on his face. “Though, I wonder what happened on the wedding day.”

Sentaro shrugged. “Who knows?”

Dean Matsunaga smiled thoughtfully. “Kasumi, do you think… it’s _that_?”

Knowing what Dean Matsunaga was referring to, Toshiki said, “It’s got to be.”

Everyone else but Munechika blinked.

“What’s _that_?” Yuuko asked as she placed a finger near her lips.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Munechika said. He grimaced at what Matsunaga and Kasumi were referring to.

“I see Dr. Takado knows something,” Tetsuya grinned.

“It’s typical for him to know things we don’t,” Kaede flatly replied.

Sentaro said, “I guess that’s how long he’s known the Nakano quintuplets.”

Yuuko frowned, her eyes still full of wonder. “Hmm? Will someone please explain what _that_ is?”

Munechika flicked Yuuko on the forehead. “You don’t need to know.”

Toshiki blandly added, “Another time, Benihime.”

“Aww, come on!” Yuuko pouted. “I’m dying to know now that Dr. Takado and Kasumi have shut me down!”

“Will you guys be quiet already?!” a voice yelled.

Everyone jolted in their seats with shocked looks on their faces. Though, only Toshiki was devoid of any emotion, so he was totally calm. Nino was back; she stood behind the counter, holding onto a tray full of appetizers. She huffed lightly. As she walked toward the group’s table, one of her feet kicked the floor and she nearly tripped.

“Ah—” Nino’s eyes widened. She was still holding onto the tray.

Most of the doctors saw that she was about to drop the tray, but one of them got up from their seat and swiftly made their way to the rescue. Their hands caught onto the tray, pushing the dishes from lunging forward.

“…!” Nino’s eyes were wide once again as they locked onto the most beautiful light gray eyes any doctor ever had.

“Are you okay, Nino?” Toshiki asked.


End file.
